Why modern leaders use wartime rhetoric for peacetime problems

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 8 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Democratic leaders often frame contemporary policy in the grand language of total war. However, this linguistic mismatch creates a dangerous disconnect between stated goals and actual resources. When we speak as if we are fighting 1940s-style battles while pursuing minor objectives, we risk public confusion and strategic failure.

At the University of St Andrews, Professor of International Relations Sir Hew Strachan, a well-known Scottish military historian, highlights an increasing friction within democratic rule. He observes that 'government with the people' is replacing 'government for the people.' Although this mirrors populist desires for active participation, it makes the intricate needs of national security and strategic planning more difficult. Strachan previously held a prestigious chair at Oxford's All Souls College. He also serves as the Lord Lieutenant of Tweeddale since May 2014.

The core issue lies in the rhetoric used by modern Presidents and Prime Ministers. To justify their actions to an electorate, they frequently borrow evocative language from the Second World War. Strachan argues that while these leaders may use the vocabulary of existential struggle, they are rarely committing their nations to conflicts on that scale. This creates a fundamental imbalance where the 'declared ends'—the ambitious goals presented to the public—do not align with the actual 'means' available or intended.

This misalignment is not merely a matter of style; it has tangible consequences for national security. By inflating the stakes of modern conflicts to match historical precedents, leaders can obscure reality from their citizens. Strachan warns that this discrepancy leads to strategic failure and public confusion, as the citizenry is led to believe they are engaged in a total struggle while the state pursues more limited, often less coherent, objectives. His scholarly work includes detailed biographies on Clausewitz and histories of both World Wars. These publications provide a foundation for his analysis of modern defense strategy.

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